Succour for deprived community

They live on water, yet they cannot access good water to either cook or drink.

The story of the residents of Migbewe, Ago-Egun Community, Makoko, Lagos State is better imagined than told.

For well over 60 years, the community situated under the Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) have suffered deprivations, including lack of safe drinking water.

With just two privately-owned commercial boreholes in the community, majority of the people of Migbewe struggle everyday to find safe drinking water. What they find is often inadequate. They also live with sever shortage of other infrastructure.

There is good news. An Islamic faith-based organisation (FBO), Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation (ZSF), has intervened to address the severe deprivation suffered by the community.

The foundation, under its Borehole Water Project Scheme, has sunk three boreholes in three different locations within the community.

The development threw the residents into wild jubilation when the project was commissioned by the council boss, Hon Jide Jimoh.

According to the ZSF Executive Director, Abdullahi Shuaib, the project is part of the activities of the foundation across the nation to ameliorate the sufferings of the people.

Each borehole, Shuaib explained, has a 2,400-litre capacity storage tank and a standby generator to ensure that the people have regular water supply.

“This initiative has illuminated the possibility of Public-Faith-Partnership (PFP) between the foundation and the Government in the delivery of urban services for the poor and vulnerable people,” he said.

He described as “positive” the role played by the Zakat payers and donors of Sadaqah (charity) for making the required fund available to execute the project.

The Executive Director urged wealthy Muslims to pay Zakat and donate generously to the foundation for the benefit of the poor and needy.

Baale Steven Ajee was full of appreciation to the foundation.

“When we learnt about the borehole project, we do not belief because government that has the wherewithal to provide such amenities aren’t hearken to our call but when we see the project going on, that gave us hope that something meaningful would come out of the speculations and here we are today, glory be to God,” he said.

Ajei urged other well meaning Nigerians and corporate organisations to toe the line of the foundation.

“Sincerely, we have almost lost hope that both the public and private sectors would ever come to their rescue. The foundation has indeed enlivened our spirit. We are appealing to government in the area school building. As you can see, no good facility for our children to study here but government can do a lot on that,” he said.

Hon Jimoh thanked the foundation for the gesture.

“What they have done is remarkable,” he said.

The council boss enjoined the residents to make judicious use of the infrastructure so as to enjoy for a long time.

He called on other corporate organisations to come around and support the government to make the society a good place for all to live.

“The people of Migbewe community who hitherto lamented over their inability to access safe drinking water are now happy, courtesy of the intervention of Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation’s Borehole Water Project Scheme. We cannot thank the foundation enough,” said Imam Jamiu Morufudeen, the Chief Imam of the community.